Automobile ties chain



oci. 1s, 1923. 1,471,248

S. E. DINGWELL AUTOMOBILE TIRE CHAIN Filed May 20. 1922 I ttomu Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED S'IAIES SAMUEL EJDINGWELL,

AUTOMOBILE Application led May A20,

To all whomy it may concern Be it known that I, Smiuni. DINGWBLL, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Violet, in the countyotPawnee and State ot Nebraska, have invented certain new and usetul Improvements in an Automobile Tire Chain; and I do hereby declare the tollowing to be a tull, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object ot the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and eiiicient tire chain tor automobiles and similar vehicle wheels whereby application ot the chain is tacili tated to the extent that it may be attached withoutl the use ot acks or without jacking up the wheels or without backing or advancing the car so as to carry the wheel over the chain, atter laying the chain upon the ground as in the ordinary practice; and turthermore to provide an improved torni ot cleat or road engaging element whereby the tractive effect ot the chain is increased; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination ot parts ot which a preferred embodiment is shown in the drawing; wherein Figure 1 is a side view ot a chain embodying the invention applied in the operative position to a wheel tire, one member ot the chain being shown in tull lines at the top ot the wheel and the other portion in dotted lines extending under the lower side ot the wheel.

Figure 2 is a detail plan view ot one end ot a chain section or member.

Figure 3 is a detail view ot one ot the cleats.

Figure 4 is a sectional view ot one ot the cleats showing the position thereot on the tire.

The chain consists ot a plurality ot sec tions 10 and 11 comprising the side retaining chains 12 connected by the transverse tread spanning chains 13 in which are disposed the cleats lil. At each end ot a chain member or section is arranged a telly cngaging hook 15 loosely connected as by an attaching chain 16 to one ot the retaining chains or termed as a continuation ot one ot the side retaining chains, and provided at its tree end with a terminal hook 17 tor engaging the link ot an opposite retaining chain 1S, so that the attachment ot the section or member covering substantially PAiENT OFFICE.-

on vroLET,'NEBnAsKA.

TIRE GrIAIN.

192e. -seriai No. 562,394.

one halt ot the circumference ot the wheel which is indicated at 19 is accomplished by, extending the .retaining hooks around the tire and over the inner-'surtacebt the telly ot the wheel adjacent to one ot the wheel spokes and engaging the terminal hooks thereot with the proper link ot the opposite securing chain.

As shown in Figure l. the hook 17 passes through the end link ot the retaining chain 18 and is doubled back and has its hook terminal 1T engaged with the telly hook l5. The hook 17 when passed through the link 1S and doubled back and engaged with the telly engaging hook 15 has the eitect ot securely fastening the telly hook in place and has a turther eitect ot tightening the chain 12.

Atter having applied one section or member ot the chain to the upperportion ot a wheel or that portion which is not in contact with the ground, the car may be advanced or backed to expose the other side ot the wheel and thus permit ot the appli cation ot the other section or member.

Under ordinary circumstances it it is desired to use the chain as a means ot advancing the car out ot a. muddy rut or depression in the road the application ot a single chain section or member will. be tound sutlicient and as above indicated this chain section or member may be applied to that portion ot the wheel which is uppermost and which theretore can be done with tacility notwithstanding the tact that the bearing portion ot the wheel is located in the rut or depression. The chain member or section which is attached to the wheel is prevented trom creeping or sliding thereon by reason ot engagement with the spokes.

The cleats 14; which are used in connection with the tread elements ot the chain are elongated transversely ot the wheel tread or in a direction transversely ot the length ot the tire chain and are cross sectionally bowed or arched to present outwardly projecting road engaging edges 2() which are thus disposed transversely to the path ot move-ment ot the wheel and enable the wheel to obtain a tirm grip on the road surtace. The arched inner side ot the cleat torms a smooth bearing tor the sui-tace ot the tire te avoid chating or cutting the same.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is A tire chain consisting ot separate sections or members each of a length adapted to embrace a portion of the circumference of a Wheel and provided with terminal securing means for engaging the wheel elly and spokes, each of said terminals securing means consisting of a felly hook connected with the free end of one ofthev sideV chains of the device, said hook having pivotal connectionV at its free end with a link, said link having its free end laterally oliset and bent toprovide a termi-nal hook, saidlink adapted to be passed through a link of the side chain et the opposite side of the device and to be doubled back and have its laterally offset terminal hook engaged with the telly 15 SAMUEL E. DINGWELL.

Witnesses:

A. R. Loon, ARTHUR M. DAvI. 

